2007 Vauxhall Vectra — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2007 Vauxhall Vectra passed 70.5% of its 73,901 recorded MOT tests. Against large family cars of a similar age (26.7% fail rate), the 2007 Vectra comes out 2.8pp worse. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (15.9%) and lighting & signalling (14.2%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are coil spring, rigid brake pipes and headlamp aim — coil spring alone was recorded 6,024 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 23.4% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 31.0% once past 150k.
Fuel type barely separates them — diesel fails 29.1% of the time against 29.8% for petrol.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 38.4% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 30.3% in 2021 to 28.7% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 15.9% | 11,729 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 14.2% | 10,517 |
| 3 | Brakes | 13.8% | 10,186 |
| 4 | Tyres | 6.6% | 4,900 |
| 5 | Visibility | 6.4% | 4,733 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 6.1% | 4,512 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coil spring | 6,024 |
| 2 | Rigid brake pipes | 5,301 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 4,342 |
| 4 | Headlamp | 3,410 |
| 5 | Tread depth | 3,259 |
| 6 | Pins and bushes | 3,194 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 38.4% | 28,340 |
| 2 | Suspension | 36.2% | 26,775 |
| 3 | Tyres | 31.0% | 22,886 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 22.0% | 16,248 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 16.3% | 12,055 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 15.9% | 11,782 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 414 | 23.4% |
| 30-60k | 3,601 | 23.1% |
| 60-90k | 13,558 | 28.0% |
| 90-120k | 23,164 | 29.7% |
| 120-150k | 18,619 | 30.5% |
| 150k+ | 14,414 | 31.0% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 45,400 | 29.8% |
| Diesel | 28,494 | 29.1% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 23,027 | 30.3% |
| 2022 | 17,928 | 29.3% |
| 2023 | 14,115 | 29.1% |
| 2024 | 10,770 | 29.2% |
| 2025 | 8,061 | 28.7% |
What to check before buying a 2007 Vectra
On a 2007 Vectra, suspension is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 15.9% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Suspension (15.9% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
- Lighting & signalling (14.2% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (13.8% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 2007 Vauxhall Vectras pass their MOT?
70.5% of the 73,901 2007 Vauxhall Vectra MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 29.5% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2007 Vauxhall Vectra?
Suspension, recorded in 15.9% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (14.2%).
Does the 2007 Vectra get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 23.4% in the 0-30k band to 31.0% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 73,901 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.